Tom in California
by The Crazy Marshmallow
Summary: In which Tom Riddle goes to California and gets a tad bit angry at the Joad family. They don't stand a chance against the future Dark Lord.


**A/N Ok. Tom's in his second year. It's the end of the Grapes of Wrath. I don't own either of the books, blah, blah, blah. Also, I just wrote this 'cause I hate Grapes of Wrath and we had to read it for school, and I want all the characters to die. So, Brace yourself. You have been warned. Also, it's supposed to be a little funny... if you don't think so, then you're taking it too seriously. **

Tom Riddle was furious. He had been banished to California, in the United States! Or that was how he described it. Hogwarts felt the need to describe it as some sort of learning experience where he would supposedly learn something about American wizards. He had no idea what this had to do with any of the classes that he was taking, but Hogwarts had sent his entire year across the pond, and unless he wanted to go back to the orphanage, he had no choice. But, the moment he had arrived in this horrible place, he had left the group. He had no intention of going to countless hours of boring lectures from American wizards about whatever it was that made them special.

Tom had been wandering around the state for some time now, ignoring all the annoying muggles, though they were starting to get on his nerves. The did the most ridiculous things, such as making villages in the middle of no where for no reason that was apparent to Tom. They even kept asking him for a job. A job! Why would he give them a job! Even if he was in the position to! They were dirty, they were muggles, and most importantly, they were desperate. He would not want to ruin their desperate lives; it might even make them into a decent class of muggles that would obey his every whim for a slice of bread once he was in power. Stupid muggles, he thought as he walked up a hill towards a barn. There seemed to be a family outside it. They seemed to be fairly desperate. There was a chance he could convince them to do something entertaining so he wouldn't be so damn bored. The seemed to be moving towards something, and he made sure to intercept them.

"Hello," he said pleasantly. They all turned around to look at him. An odd family of sorts. They seemed to be heading towards another muggle looking building.

"Howdy," one of the adult males answered warily.

"Whacha doin' all the way up here sir? Surly a fine lad like yourself has got someplace to be," the only adult woman responded. Tom smiled and lied.

"Well, I was actually looking for some workers," he said, already disgusted by their diction. "Would you be at all interested?" The family looked at each other.

"What kinda work you hirin' for?" the woman asked suspiciously. Tom shrugged his shoulders.

"A little of this, a little of that, I haven't really decided yet," he answered.

"How much you payin'?" asked a different adult male. Tom laughed.

"Paying? Why would I pay you? You should be honored that I, the future Dark Lord, am even speaking to a muggle like yourself. I have power beyond your capabilities. I have the ability to control and speak to snakes. I-"

"Snakes? Why wouldya wanna speak to a snake? Ony thing they're good fr is runnin' over," one of the youth interrupted. Tom's eyes bulged. Not only was this boy interrupting him, he was insulting the noble blood of Slytherin. Tom pulled out his wand. "Avada Kedavra," he muttered, there was a blinding flash of green light, and the boy fell, dead, upon the ground. Tom chuckled. There was nothing like killing to make him feel better. However, this seemed to upset the family. They began to scream and shout at Tom. The noise started to bother him. "SILENCE!" he yelled over the din. They were immediately quite. "Now, either you do what I say, or I make you do what I say. Do you understand?" They nodded, frightened. At this point, a woman and a man came out of the barn. The woman was holding up the obviously dying man.

"What's goin' on? I head you ashoutin'. Who's this?" the young woman asked. Tom nodded to her.

"I am Tom Riddle, future all-powerful Dark Lord. I will kill all of the useless muggles who fail to obey my every command. Of course, when I am all powerful, killing muggles will not be worth my time. I will leave that to lesser servants," Tom began to rant, his eyes glowing and his fist clenched in the air, "There isn't a person on this earth that can stop me. I am all powerful I-" he was interrupted again, but this time by a little girl.

"You're not all powerful! If you was that special, you wouldn'ta be here now. You woulda be in some fancy house somewheres," the child said. Tom didn't think twice before hitting her with the curse that instantly left her lifeless. The young woman screamed and fainted, the dying man falling on top of her. Tom looked at the young woman, a disgsted look on his face. _Stupid muggles, _he thought, _all they're good for is dying. _He turned back to the rest of the family. They appeared to be shouting at him, demanding a reason of some sort. He ignored them and walked over to the young woman.

"Avada Kedavra," he whispered in her ear. Her already unconscious body became even more lifeless and Tom could feel the old man die with her from whatever it was that he had previously been dying of. Something hard hit the back of Tom's head. Turning around he noticed that one of the men that were still alive had hit him with a shovel.

"How dare you! I am the Dark Lord Voldemort! Why would you even think of doing such a thing! You filthy muggles will pay!" Tom yelled. The muggles began to come towards him with sticks and shovels. Tom was too fast for them. He quickly cast a spell and his Death Eaters swarmed around him. "Kill them slowly," he replied to the questining stare he got from the chief Death Eater.

Tom walked off the hill with the howls of pain and blasts of color behind him in what he thought to be a very dramatic and fear-worthy exit.


End file.
